Rocket Roundup
February 1, 2023
Biometric Screening and Online Health Assessment Screenings Deadlines Approaching
If you are enrolled in the District health insurance through Humana, you will need to complete both a biometric screening and the online health assessment this month to receive the lower wellness premium rate. If you have a spouse on the plan, they are strongly encouraged to complete both activities as well to learn about their health and earn points, however it is not required. If you have not scheduled a biometric screening, there are only a few openings left in our District. Be sure to schedule your appointment today at this link.
The deadlines are as follows:
Biometric Screenings Off-Site (Primary Care Provider): Feb. 14
Biometric Screenings On-Site via Veribook Appointments: Feb. 28
Go365 Online Health Assessment: Feb. 28
Friday is National Wear Red Day
February is American Heart Month! Join us on Friday, February 3 as we celebrate National Wear Red Day by wearing red to bring attention to heart disease awareness as it's the leading cause of death for Americans. You can begin learning about heart health by checking out these slides on Sudden Cardiac Arrest. Show your support and wear red!
What is Universal Design? How Do We Apply That to Learning?
Universal design is, according to Ron Mace a Universal Design Guru, “the design of products and environments to be usable by the most people, to the maximum extent possible without the need for adaptation or specialized design." Refer to the visual of how the evolution of door opening devices have become more universally designed. From the doorknob that made doors easier to open for typically abled people, to the door lever, which made door handles more inclusive, and eventually automatically opening doors as the most inclusive of all. Does the pirate need to have automatic sliding doors, no. Not unless he’s pushing a stroller. We could provide 3 doors each with different door handle types entering the same room. However, the easiest design with the fewest accommodations is just to provide automatically opening doors which would give everybody access to the room.
How could this apply to education? We could think of it as, instead of adapting different versions of a lesson in several different forms for students with different barriers to learning, how could we design our lesson to be inclusive without individually specialized design? Linked is a Ted Talk from Michael Nesmith called Why We Need Universal Design. It is worth the watch. The second resource is a link to the Text Help website article, 7 Ways to Introduce UDL into Your Classroom.
Why We Need Universal Design | Michael Nesmith | TEDxBoulder
New EAP Benefit Offers Wide Range of Services
Check Your 2023 Tax Withholding Amounts
The IRS encourages everyone to use the Tax Withholding Estimator to perform a “paycheck checkup.” This will help you make sure you have the right amount of tax withheld from your paycheck.
There are several reasons to check your withholding:
● Checking your withholding can help protect against having too little tax withheld and facing an unexpected tax bill or penalty at tax time next year.
● At the same time, you may prefer to have less tax withheld up front, so you receive more in your paychecks and get a smaller refund at tax time.
When should you use the estimator? If you had a major life change, such as marriage, the birth of a child, adoption or bought a home.
Use your results from the Tax Withholding Estimator to help you complete a new Form W-4, Employee's Withholding Certificate, and submit the completed Form W-4 to the Payroll Department as soon as possible. Withholding takes place throughout the year, so it’s better to take this step as soon as possible.
The Tax Withholding Estimator does not ask you to provide sensitive information such as your name, Social Security number, address or bank account numbers. The IRS does not save or record the information you enter on the estimator.
The check estimator can be found at: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator
How to change amount of tax withheld using the Form W-4.
You want MORE taxes out of each paycheck?
1. Reduce the number of dependents
2. Add an extra amount to withhold on line 4(c)
You want LESS tax taken out of each paycheck?
1. Increase the number on line 4(b)
2. Reduce the number on line 4(1) or 4(c)
3. Increase the number of dependents
If you have additional questions about your withholding, consult the payroll office or your tax advisor.
NJSD Staff Wellness Week Recap
Our first annual Staff Wellness Week was a success! The Wellness Champs and Sara Mercer would like to extend a huge "Thank You" to staff for participating in the dress up days, after school wellness activities, "Circle of Wellness" challenge, and the PLD celebration! It was so rewarding to see so many people engage in their health in a variety of ways. Also, we would like to extend a shout out to the following schools for their participation and placement in the "Circle of Wellness" challenge:
1st Place - Clayton
2nd Place - Tullar
3rd Place - Coolidge
It is our hope that you continue to take time to reflect on your wellness journey and honor your bio-individual needs the rest of the school year.
NHS Winter Drama Set for This Weekend
Neenah High School will present four shows of the play, "Eurydice," by Sarah Ruhl during the weekend of Feb. 2-5 in Pickard Auditorium. Shows are Thursday through Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are also available online at rocketplayers.com and are $10 for adults and $8 for seniors and students. NJSD staff members are permitted one free ticket.
The show is reimagining of the classic Greek myth of Orpheus and his wife Eurydice told through Eurydice's eyes. After dying on her wedding day, Eurydice travels to the underworld where she is reunited with her father and struggles to remember her husband and her former life. A contemporary twist on a timeless story with heart and humor and an unexpected ending. "Eurydice" is presented by www.concordtheatricals.com
This Week in NJSD Activities
NJSD Staff free to all home events by showing staff ID badge
Thursday, February 2
Winter Drama, "Eurydice," 7 p.m. (Pickard Auditorium)
Girls Basketball Home vs. Appleton West, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, February 3
FVA Diving Meet, Home, 5:30 p.m.
Winter Drama, "Eurydice," 7 p.m. (Pickard Auditorium)
Boys Basketball Home vs. Fond du Lac, 7:30 p.m.
Boys Hockey, Home vs. Fond du Lac, 7:45 p.m.
Saturday, February 4
FVA Wrestling Meet, Home, 9:30 a.m.
FVA Swimming Meet, 10:30 a.m. (at Fond du Lac)
Boys Hockey, Badgerland Tournament, Home, TBA
Winter Drama, "Eurydice," 7 p.m. (Pickard Auditorium)
Sunday, February 5
Winter Drama, "Eurydice," 2 p.m. (Pickard Auditorium)
Monday, February 6
Band-O-Rama, 7 p.m. (Einerson Fieldhouse)